I've been searching for a gun for the wife for years! She is one of those folks that is very recoil senisitive. About 23 years ago I bought her a Ruger SP 101, and loaded it with .38's. She liked the gun, and could shoot it well, but she complained about it being too heavy to carry around in her purse. So she stopped carring it. A few years ago I bought her a .38 snubie, and she didn't like the recoil. Next came the Ruger LCP in .380, and again, she didn't like the recoil. She does like the NAA in .22 mag, but that gun just isn't fast enough for any kind of self defence except as a last resort. I am a firm believer that the .380 is about the smallest round that works well for SD, but I also believe that even a .22 is better than no gun at all, so I just bought the Taurus. So far we've put over 100 thru it with no problems at all, shooting the Federal HP's that come in the 550 rd box. I wanted to post some pictures, but the only thing I ended up with was the target that I shot. I did try a penitration test with three milk jugs of water, but the dang little pistol shot all the way thru the three jugs I had set up at 7'! Didn't expect that! No bullet to recover, so no photos. The target was shot at 15' and as you can see it shoots a little low. The one shot just off center was due to my shooting a little higher. Had I not made the one higher shot, and had it landed in among the other 8 shots, that group would have been 1 2/3"X2 1/4". Not bad for a pistol like this one. Another water jug test will be tried in the near future, and I will post results of that test. Might throw some mini-mags into the mix.
I suppose there will always be controversy over using the .22lr for self defense but I subscribe to the idea that a .22lr is better than no gun. There was a video some where, I can't find it, of one of the range officers talking about the .22lr for self defense and he had been showing how to fire one of the little "J" framed Smiths. He laughingly said he had a standing offer at the range that if you would let him shot you six times with his little .22, you could then shot him with what ever you had. He said no takers so far, ha.
I have liked what I see with the little revolvers (LCR) that Ruger has come out with in both .22lr and .22mag as a possible option for the recoil sensitive.
Here is a link to a fellow that has done some very good ammo tests and has a few on the .22lr.
I have a lady friend that is not real gun comfortable but is trying to become so. She keeps saying "I want a gun I can comfortably shoot and then I want to become real familiar with it". She is most comfortable with a .22lr.
Carver, this one used to belong to my father, he really liked the tip up barrel because it was easy for his 85 year old hands to load. I sold it to Bob and it has been claimed by Connie. She likes it but is still looking for that "just right one". That little Taurus has had several hundred rounds through it and is yet to malfunction. Bob just bought a Ruger LCP and we will see if she likes it. I don't think she will because of the strength needed to work the slide and the recoil but it will be her decision.
A little about the .22 LR as a defense round. While it's true that the .22LR certainly lacks knockdown power, it is a very deadly round. When using the .22LR as a SD round, one should go for center mass torso shots. Where the usual result is the bullet having energy & velocity enough to penetrate the body cavity. Expending enough energy in doing so that it lacks the energy to exit. Very often it will pass through the body cavity and whatever organs it hits. Then hit thick rib cartilage or bone and fragment or ricochet. Causing multiple vital organ damage. People who have sustained such injuries from being shot in the chest w/a .22LR, may not be knocked down initially. But usually will become incapacitated fairly quickly and die within minutes.
But the focus on penetration is primary. For that reason I recommend using CCI Mini Mag solid point ammo. 1st. .22LR is designed for use in rifles. And will achieve less velocity & energy out of a shorter barrel handgun. So you want to start with the most powerful & reliable ammo that you can get. IMO CCI Mini Mag SP fit that bill.
2nd. You want a bullet that will penetrate a human chest cavity w/o fragmenting. And that means through possible heavy muscle or heavy clothing. Again solid points are best. Hollow points are designed to deform & fragment on initial impact. Devastating on the small game they are designed for. Not so good on people. You want that bullet to get INSIDE intact. Where it can do the most damage.
Another option you may consider might be a .22MAG revolver such as a Charter Arms Pathfinder. Small, lightweight, but packs a punch. .22Mag from a rifle can penetrate a police bullet proof vest. You won't get that much velocity from a handgun, but will get significantly more than .22LR. In a comparable size/recoil package.
I suppose there will always be controversy over using the .22lr for self defense but I subscribe to the idea that a .22lr is better than no gun. There was a video some where, I can't find it, of one of the range officers talking about the .22lr for self defense and he had been showing how to fire one of the little "J" framed Smiths. He laughingly said he had a standing offer at the range that if you would let him shot you six times with his little .22, you could then shot him with what ever you had. He said no takers so far, ha.
I have liked what I see with the little revolvers (LCR) that Ruger has come out with in both .22lr and .22mag as a possible option for the recoil sensitive.
Here is a link to a fellow that has done some very good ammo tests and has a few on the .22lr.
I have a lady friend that is not real gun comfortable but is trying to become so. She keeps saying "I want a gun I can comfortably shoot and then I want to become real familiar with it". She is most comfortable with a .22lr.
The problem with any lightweight rimfire revolver is the trigger pull in double action mode is very heavy. To a shooter who is not particularly strong, the trigger pull is just too heavy, and can not be opperated. I stayed away form the revolvers because of this.
Not bad grouping at all and as far as the .22LR being used for self defense,...
I sure wouldnt want to be on the receiving end!
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